Inaugurating the second edition of the International Yoga Day at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Art of Living Foundation founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making an “extra effort to bring Yoga to the main stream population.”[caption id=“attachment_2848180” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the International Yoga Day event at the European Union in Brussels. Image courtesy Art of Living Foundation [/caption] “I would like to thank UN for declaring last year June 21st, the longest day as World Yoga Day. Especially the PM of India who has made extra effort to bring Yoga to the main stream population. I would also like to acknowledge the Yoga teachers and Yoga schools which have been striving so hard to make people understand the benefits of Yoga, Though Yoga was born in the Indian subcontinent, it belongs to the world,” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. “I’m so glad that today here in the European Parliament, the heart of Europe, where 48 countries sit and do their deliberations and lead their countries, they are taking up this beautiful mission of wellness and bringing happiness to people,” he said. Explaining the benefits of Yoga, he sought to differentiate it from exercise. “Yoga is bringing the rhythm in life. Yoga is feeling the connection with oneself. And with everyone around. Yoga is aspiring for the highest goal of the world as one family. And unity with the infinity. It brings harmony in one’s environment. A disease free body, it establishes a quiver free breath which is a sign of strength, confusion free mind, inhibition free intellect, trauma free memory and sorrow free soul,” Sri Sri said.